U.S. Envoy Calls for Germany to Block Iran Cash Withdrawal

BERLIN, July 10 (Reuters) – The U.S. ambassador to Germany has called on Berlin to block an Iranian bid to withdraw large sums of cash from bank accounts in Germany to offset the effect of new U.S. financial sanctions imposed after Washington withdrew from a 2015 nuclear deal.

U.S. Ambassador to Germany Richard Allen Grenell is pictured in Berlin, Germany, June 4, 2018. Picture taken June 4, 2018. REUTERS/Stringer

“We encourage the highest levels of the German government to intervene and stop the plan,” Grenell told daily newspaper Bild.

Grenell has adopted a more outspoken role than his predecessor since arriving in Berlin in May, drawing criticism for what some German politicians view as meddling in German politics.

A German Finance Ministry spokeswoman on Monday said German authorities were examining the Iranian request. The ministry had no immediate comment’s on Grenell’s comments.

Bild first reported on Monday that German authorities were considering a request by Iran to withdraw 300 million euros ($350 million) from bank accounts held in Germany and to transfer the cash to Iran.